A Tortoise and His Girls
by ChemistryGeek
Summary: Why is Bass sick?   Contains spoilers for Season 1 finale.  6/21 update...nothing new, just cleaned up some trouble spots.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Rizzoli and Isles and all associated characters belong to Tess Gerritsen and TNT. I am not making any money from writing about them.

A/N: Last week I had an "AHA!" moment, thinking it would be fun to write something from Bass' perspective. Little did I know that FinalCut beat me to it with what looks to be a LAUGH RIOT. :-) I haven't read it yet (just the first couple of paragraphs because I didn't want to be influenced by another voice) but it seems like a hit based on the number of reviews.

I think "my" Bass will be on the fluffier side, so I hope you all will like him just as much as FinalCut's version. Thanks for reading.

A Tortoise and His Girl(s)

Chapter 1

Bass was a simple creature.

He was about as low maintenance a companion as there ever was, but like his human, Dr. Maura Isles, Bass enjoyed the finer things in life: perfectly ripe and juicy strawberries, organic spinach, pure artesian spring water...

He didn't ask for much, was a great listener, and had been lovingly cared for by Maura for many years. Sure he wasn't as interactive as say Jo Friday, but Bass was a great friend. He looked forward to Maura coming home every night to tell him about her day while feeding him lettuce or bok choi.

As soon as he heard her key in the front door he made sure to give her a big grin when she came into the kitchen. Well, as big a grin as he could manage given his craniofacial structure - he settled for his mouth open wide while bobbing his head in greeting; Maura knew what he meant.

But things had been different lately; the last few weeks Maura had been staying out later and once in a while not coming home at all!

Sure Bass could take care of himself, but he wondered what was up.

He thought back to when it all started and realized that Maura really hadn't been behaving differently until that other human started coming around. Now what did Maura call her? Oh yes..."Jane."

For whatever reason this Jane was now a big part of Maura's nightly chats with Bass. Statements like, "Jane and I are running a marathon," or "Jane and I have to go undercover" dominated Maura's part of the conversation.

For the first time in his 30+ years with Maura, Bass felt something he never experienced before: jealousy. He started to see this Jane as...competition.

Instead of hearing about what a handsome and good boy he is, or how his eyes are so bright or his shell so glossy, all Maura seemed to talk about was Jane. Then there were those late nights...what was she doing? Her place was home with him and Bass was starting to get worried: was Maura getting bored with him? Was she going to give him up or trade him in for Jane? His little reptilian brain was on overload here!

Bass got so worked up over Maura's behavior that he couldn't eat, could barely sleep, and eventually became listless, hardly even lifting his head up when Maura came home at all hours of the night.

Maura noticed that Bass wasn't acting like his usual self and of course she was concerned, stroking his shell and talking in the sweet, soothing voice that was once reserved only for him, but he was starting to hear it more and more when she was on the phone with Jane.

Now the one and only time Bass met Jane didn't go very well. Here was this new person in HIS house...loud, boisterous, waving her hands around when she talked... Didn't she know that tortoises are sensitive to loud noises and sudden movements?

Bass let it slide because she was new; he's a nice tortoise and wanted to make friends, so he gave Jane his best smile equivalent.

He was so shocked by Jane's reaction...her shrieking and pointing...that he couldn't even eat the rest of his strawberry.

Maura scolded Jane but the damage had been done. Bass was not a fan of Jane from that first meeting, and now that (in his mind) she had become Maura's center of attention, he was jealous, angry, and hurt and slowly began to retreat into himself.

Bass felt bad that Maura was so worried, but because he couldn't articulate his feelings very well, he sunk into a downward spiral of depression and picky eating; even organic spinach had no appeal anymore.

As Bass got sicker and more listless, Maura became frantic. The one day his usual caregiver couldn't make it over to sit with him during the day, Maura brought him to work with her.

Bass was devastated - how could she do this to him? Taking him out of his home was bad enough, but to be on Jane's turf was unthinkable.

Little did Bass know that his life was going to change forever that day and that he would learn an important lesson about first impressions and being judgemental.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Rizzoli and Isles and all associated characters belong to Tess Gerritsen and TNT. I am not making any money from writing about them.

A/N: I know Bass and Maura weren't hiding out in the same room where Jane/Frankie/Bobby came in, but Bass wouldn't be able to see all of the action if he was down the hall like in the ep. :-)

Thanks for all the reviews and alerts! I have 2 more chapters planned after this...please stay tuned!

A Tortoise and His Girl(s)

Chapter 2

The day at the office started out all right for Bass. He had a nice safe spot under a desk and Maura's comforting voice kept him calm during the morning as she went through her examinations, dictating her findings into a small tape recorder as she worked.

Bass had learned a lot from Maura over the years as she went through college and medical school. Why, if he were a little taller and had opposable thumbs, he'd make a great lab assistant. Bass noticed everything and was very smart.

He was dozing contentedly and Maura would periodically come over and ask him if he was OK and give him a gentle pat on his shell. She left him for a few minutes and when she came back after the power went out and tried to get him to eat some lettuce, all hell broke loose.

Loud shouting in the hallway, then some explosions, banging and glass breaking!

Bass was really scared and sucked his head and legs and tail inside his shell as far as they would go. Maura put her hand out to stroke his back and whispered that it would be OK, but Bass was not convinced. He hated loud noises and strange places and the only thing keeping him sane was Maura's warm hand on his shell.

Maura moved away for a moment to try to call for help, but the phone lines were dead, so she settled back behind the desk to fill Bass in on what was happening.

"It's OK sweetie, we're safe. The bad guys don't know we're here, but Jane will find us...don't worry."

"Don't worry?" thought Bass, "this is a disaster!" He was about to shuffle away in disgust as Maura's focus went back to Jane AGAIN, but his fear won out and he couldn't leave her comforting presence. He had no choice but to listen as Maura continued speaking, to reassure herself as much as him.

"Jane would never leave me...us down here - I know she'll be here soon."

Whoa - wait a minute...us? What was that all about? Bass poked his head out a little so Maura would continue.

"Oh there you are sweetie, it's OK...you know Jane really does like you even though she was a little scared of you at first. She never had any pets growing up, and probably never even knew anyone who had a tortoise. She even thought you were a turtle!"

At that comment Bass wriggled around a little, almost like he was laughing about Jane thinking he was a turtle of all things...! He stuck his head out a little more as if to say, "Go on."

Maura sat back, stroking Bass' shell absently, "You know, aside from you, honey, Jane is honestly the best friend I've ever had. She knows just what to say when I'm feeling down, and she puts up with me "going all Google" on her. And she is loyal and protective of her family and friends so I know she'll come looking for us very soon."

Hmmm...that gave Bass a lot to think about. He knew Maura never really had a lot of friends throughout her life because he was always there for her and there was never anyone else who got very close. It took a lot for her to open up to people to..."come out of her shell" so to speak.

Heh. Shell...tortoise...get it? Bass cracked himself up a little and wriggled around some more. Maura smiled, thinking he was feeling better and offered him a piece of lettuce. This time he took a bite; he needed the energy to process everything going on in his head.

If meticulous, analytical, guarded Maura could let someone get close to her, that person had to be OK, right?

Bass thought harder. Yes, even though in the last few weeks Maura had been out of the house more, she was always happy when she came home, and from telling him about her day, Bass knew she spent a lot of time with Jane, so the logical conclusion was that Jane was making Maura happy.

Now the question was, was Bass OK with that? Could he "share" Maura and get over his jealousy?

Bass took another bite of the lettuce and made up his mind: he'd give Jane another chance and would try to be nicer and think nicer thoughts about her since she was so important to Maura.

He was just about to go back to sleep when the door to the autopsy room burst open and Jane and another man came through, half carrying, half dragging a policeman between them and calling out for Maura.

"It's Jane...it's Jane," Maura whispered, patting Bass' shell as if she knew about his conflicted thoughts and was saying, "I told you so."

Bass retreated far enough back to hide, but exposed enough to observe Jane with his new outlook.

It was showtime.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Rizzoli and Isles and all associated characters belong to Tess Gerritsen and TNT. I am not making any money from writing about them.

A/N: One more chapter after this, probably a long one. Thanks again for all the reviews and alerts!

A Tortoise and His Girl(s)

Chapter 3

Bass watched intently as Jane and the other man with the badge helped the policeman onto a table. The other man went to watch the door and Jane stayed with the policeman - she called him "Frankie."

Interesting...he looked just like Jane! Bass was intrigued. The man was too old to be her son so he had to be...her brother!

Bass had dozens of brothers and sisters but they all got separated when they were just hatchlings. That was fine with him; he didn't need any sibling drama in his life. He was content with Maura and besides, all of the excitement from today and the turmoil of the last few weeks was plenty for him.

Maura and Jane were pulling Frankie's dress shirt off and Bass saw some contraption underneath that they were struggling to remove. Of course...it was a bulletproof vest. Once they pulled Frankie's t-shirt off, Bass saw two small round marks and a lot of bruising.

"Not good," thought Bass, "probably some broken ribs and internal bleeding for sure." Maura would know what to do to help.

Bass watched as Maura found a stethoscope and instructed Frankie to take a deep breath.

"I can't!" he exclaimed, and when Maura pressed on his stomach in different places, Frankie groaned in pain.

Jane had a panicked look on her face, and Bass noticed that Maura did too, then she motioned for them to step aside.

"It's bad, isn't it?" asked Jane, her voice breaking. It was obvious to Bass that she cared for Frankie very much and was terribly worried.

Bass was worried too! He hated seeing people sad and hurting...he remembered all the times Maura would come home from school crying because the other kids teased her and called her "weird." He always tried to comfort her as best he could, but there was only so much he could do...not being much of a lap tortoise and all...

Maura was explaining to Jane that Frankie's breathing problem was likely from a tension pneumothorax. Bass knew what that meant: air was trapped in the pleural cavity, the chamber surrounding Frankie's lungs. There was no way for it to get out and for Frankie to breathe normally unless the pressure was released through a surgical procedure to penetrate the pleural sac.

Bass heard Maura tell Jane that she was guessing about her diagnosis or could make it worse by attempting to relieve the pressure, but Jane insisted she do something NOW! Bass was taken aback by Jane's harsh tone and her yelling at Maura, but he was giving her another chance, right?

These were rather extreme circumstances after all: they were trapped with bad guys roaming around the building and Jane's brother was badly injured, so Bass cut her some slack. Besides, don't stressful situations bring out the best and worst in people?

As soon as Maura plunged the syringe into Frankie's chest, Bass heard the air rush out all the way over in his hiding spot. He also noted that Jane's demeanor completely changed: she held Frankie's hand, stroked his hair, and kept telling him that he was all right and that everything was going to be OK.

Bass was learning very quickly that Jane was pretty complex and he had to stay sharp if he was going to figure her out.

Frankie seemed like he was doing better but all of a sudden he started coughing blood and Bass immediately perked up. He knew Frankie's injuries were far more serious than they looked. Maura didn't have an X-ray or MRI to see what was going on inside of him and because of that she was very agitated and unsure of what to do.

Bass had never seen Maura so shaken up and wished again that he was her lab assistant and could do something, anything to help, but all he could do was watch...especially Jane as she tried to comfort her brother.

When Bass heard Jane's anguished voice begging, "Please don't let him die Maura, please!" it was an epiphany. He felt so ashamed of himself for his jealousy and mean thoughts toward her. He knew right then how caring Jane was...toward Frankie and he was sure also toward Maura. Jane's desperate tone sounded like she'd do anything to save Frankie - to even trade places with him so that he was sure to live.

Bass had to see her face, so he poked his head around the desk. Jane was gripping Frankie's hand and telling Maura to think, and that she was the only one who could save him, and that Frankie would die if she didn't do something.

This time her harsh tone didn't bother Bass because he knew she was speaking out of fear for her brother's life. She was so distraught, but at the same time her eyes were focused on Frankie and so loving when she held his hand and kept telling him it was going to be all right.

Bass understood now that Jane was a protector and that it was her nature to put others before herself.

In all honesty though, Frankie was far from all right. The blood he coughed up wasn't magically going to go away, so Maura had to improvise a chest tube and insert it into Frankie's side with no anesthesia.

Bass watched as Jane got Frankie to focus on her and squeeze her hand through the pain. He knew it would hurt a lot and pulled his head back into his shell as Frankie cried out.

All of a sudden Jane's walkie talkie came to life and Bass looked out - finally help was on the way and Frankie could get to the hospital!

Everything happened so fast - Bass could barely keep up: the man on the radio said there were gunmen outside and some inside, Jane said she couldn't hold them off for long, when all of a sudden a man with a big gun came in demanding evidence, and pushed his gun into Frankie's side and threatened to shoot.

Bass retreated further behind the desk, barely peeking out to not miss anything. The gunman revealed that Bobby, the man who first came in with Jane and Frankie, was a dirty cop involved in a drug smuggling ring with him, and then the situation got worse than Bass could ever have imagined.

Bobby said he would be a hero, then shot his drug partner and turned the gun on Jane, Frankie, and Maura, saying he would kill them all. It would look like the other man did it and Bobby would get away.

Bass was beside himself, helpless to do anything except watch in horror.

Jane immediately put herself between the gun and Frankie, pulling Maura behind her as well. Bass knew her slim body wasn't much of a shield but he was proud of Jane for protecting them.

If everything ended here he was glad he gave Jane another chance, and glad he got to see her for the strong and brave, but vulnerable and caring person she truly was. He hoped against hope that somehow they would all be OK and that he and Jane could become friends.

Bass watched Jane plead with Bobby to give up. The whole time Maura pressed her foot on the fallen walkie talkie button so the police outside could hear what was going on. As soon as they said they were coming in, Bobby grabbed Jane and held the gun to her head.

"No!" screamed Frankie and Maura, but Jane pushed them back, saying it was OK as Bobby dragged her out.

Bass was heartbroken. Jane was in serious danger and he feared the worst, but at the same time he was awed by her selflessness to risk her life for Maura and Frankie.

The next thing Bass knew, more men were running in with some tubes that had funny smelling gas coming out. It was the SWAT team and Maura yelled, "don't shoot!" then ran to comfort Bass.

"It's OK sweetie, it's all over. You're safe. Frankie will be OK. The paramedics are on their way."

Bass was so glad to have Maura back in his sight, her voice and hands soothing him, but all he could think was, "what about Jane?" He looked up pleadingly to Maura; she was thinking the same thing and said, "I have to get to Jane."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Rizzoli and Isles and all associated characters belong to Tess Gerritsen and TNT. I am not making any money from writing about them.

A/N: Sorry, I lied. 2 more chapters but at least you get them both at once! :-)

A Tortoise and His Girl(s)

Chapter 4

Bass paced around the kitchen anxiously. He was finally home.

Before Maura ran out of the morgue she made sure a SWAT officer contacted one of Bass' caregivers, a volunteer from the veterinarian's office, to pick him up and take him home. Tim was a vet student and he had a vague idea about all of the drama of the day, so he sat with Bass for awhile to keep him calm, then made sure he had fresh salad and water before he left the house, leaving the porch and kitchen lights on for Maura.

The more time that passed, the more anxious Bass became. Before today the center of his world was Maura, but now he had Jane and even Frankie to think about.

The paramedics arrived very soon after the SWAT team, and Bass was optimistic that Frankie would survive once he got to the hospital and the doctors could properly treat his broken ribs and internal bleeding.

What worried Bass the most was that he had no idea what happened to Jane, and even Maura once she followed Bobby and Jane outside. He'd just have to wait until Maura came home to fill him in.

He ambled over to dig into his lettuce and tomatoes - he had to keep his strength up because no matter what happened, Maura would need him.

It was well past midnight when Maura finally came home. Bass had never seen her look so exhausted. Her dress was bloodstained, her hair was a mess, and her eyes were red and swollen from crying.

Bass' heart sank. From the look on Maura's face he was sure that Jane was dead and that he'd never get the chance to to get to know her and to thank her for protecting Maura and being her friend. He looked up at Maura as she sank into a chair at the kitchen table and reached out to him for comfort.

"Oh Bass," she said, tears welling up in her eyes, "Jane...Jane...she..." Maura sobbed, covering her face with her hands.

Bass was desperate - "NO!" he wanted to shout. "Jane can't be dead!" but he had no voice. All he could do was move closer to Maura, bumping her chair to get her attention, and Maura finally regained her composure to see Bass looking up anxiously at her.

"Jane...she did the most unbelievable, selfless, STUPID thing out there, Bass," began Maura, bending down to put her hand on his back, seeking comfort in his stoic presence.

"I ran outside and Bobby had his arm around her...so tight that Frost or Korsak or the SWAT team couldn't get a clear shot at him. He was taunting her that Frankie was probably dead and then...and then she grabbed the gun and pointed it at her stomach and pulled the trigger. Oh Bass...she shot Bobby through her own body so they could go in and save Frankie...and I saw it all happen...I saw Jane shoot herself and I just...I just..." Maura sobbed uncontrollably, her tears dripping onto Bass' shell and he was heartbroken.

He couldn't imagine the strength and courage it took for Jane to do such a thing, but then again, he saw how brave she was and how determined she was to do anything to save Frankie.

Bass also knew how much it was hurting Maura to have witnessed that scene. He had eyes - he could see how much Maura and Jane cared for each other. He had no way to comfort Maura except to move even closer to her, bumping up against her leg to reassure her that he was there, that he would always be there for her.

"I ran over to Jane as she fell," Maura went on softly. "There was so much blood...I couldn't stop it...I tried, I tried so hard Bass, but there was so much...and Jane wouldn't wake up! I screamed and yelled out her name but she didn't wake up...and then the ambulance was there and Frost made me leave her, and they took her...they took her away from me," Maura finished in a whisper, stroking Bass' shell to keep herself calm and centered.

"She made it to the hospital and through surgery, but she's in very serious condition. The bullet damaged her ribs, liver, intestines...the risk of infection is what we are most closely monitoring."

Maura couldn't help but lapse into doctor mode as she related Jane's injuries. "We're all taking turns staying with her; Frost and Korsak made me come home to rest."

Bass was relieved that Jane was alive, but very concerned about her fragile state. Any damage to the abdomen, especially the intestines, releases bacteria into the body and has the potential to turn into a serious infection that can take over the whole body and it essentially poisons itself.

Bass willed with all his might for Jane to be strong and to fight against her injuries.

Maura needed Jane, that much was clear from her anguished state and the way she wept for Jane at the thought of losing her. Again Bass felt ashamed for misjudging Jane and what a good person she is and how much she means to Maura.

Once Jane was well Bass was determined to be her friend.

Maura straightened up, wiped her eyes, and pushed her hair behind her ears. "I need to get some sleep, Bass, and I have to get back to the hospital in the morning. I'll have Tim come and check in on you."

Bass agreed - he was worn out from the long and stressful day. Maura noticed that Bass had been eating like his old self again and she reached down to give him a gentle pat along with a small smile.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, sweetie. You were so brave today. I know it was loud and scary and I'm so proud of you." He nodded in agreement, then Maura told him good night and headed to her bedroom to get some much needed rest.

Bass closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow and the days to come would still be stressful as Jane began her slow recovery. He had to be in top form to take care of Maura while she took care of Jane.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Rizzoli and Isles and all associated characters belong to Tess Gerritsen and TNT. I am not making any money from writing about them.

A/N: Thanks for reading everyone. I hope this last super-long and fluffy chapter makes up for the delay in updating. Let's hope Bass got home OK after the finale, and that he is healthy for season 2! :-)

A Tortoise and His Girl(s)

Chapter 5

The next few days pretty much all went the same: Bass slept most of the day so he would be alert for Maura's return and her nightly update on Jane. He was glad to hear that Frankie was doing fine, but Jane had still not woken up.

Maura told Bass that Jane was still at risk for infection and she had a tube in her throat to help her breathe. The doctors had her heavily sedated so she wouldn't move around and irritate her stitches.

The long days had been taking a toll on Maura, Bass noticed. She came home late every night and even though she was exhausted from being at work and at the hospital all day, she always made sure Bass had fresh greens and water before fixing herself a glass of wine and something for her dinner.

Tonight Maura looked more tired than usual, thought Bass. She took her meal into the living room and sat on the floor to eat at the coffee table. As she leaned back on the couch, Bass slowly trundled into the room to sit close to her.

"Bass sweetie," Maura began, "Jane still hasn't woken up. She looks so fragile laying there..."

Bass poked his head out to catch every word. He couldn't wait for the news that Jane was awake but it wasn't happening yet. It had been a week since the shooting and the stress was wearing on Maura. She picked at her food and started talking again, her eyes filling with tears.

"Jane is always so strong and it kills me to see her lying there like that...so small and helpless."

Bass nodded in agreement. Jane was anything but helpless; he saw how she took charge in the morgue - looking up Frankie's medical procedure and prodding Maura into action, then bravely protecting Maura and Frankie as Bobby held them all at gunpoint.

Maura was reaching her breaking point. She pushed the table away and crumpled to floor sobbing, "I don't know what to do Bass! I feel so useless just sitting there watching her and waiting for her to wake up."

Bass understood exactly what she meant. He felt like he had been in that position all his life with Maura: sure he was always around to listen, but was that enough?

He learned from Maura's psychology research that there was a significant advantage for unconscious or comatose patients to simply have someone "there" for them, talking or reading to them or just holding their hand.

Bass knew Maura was doing all of those things for Jane and had brought in music and pictures for when she finally did wake up. Maura was doing everything right for Jane, but Bass realized he could do more for Maura right now.

He edged closer to Maura where she lay on the floor. She had one arm curled underneath her and her other hand stretched out on the floor. Bass stuck his neck out and rested his head on Maura's hand.

Maura opened her eyes and looked over at Bass when she felt the dry, leathery skin nuzzle her hand. She was stunned. In all their years together Bass had always shied away from any attempt to touch him, except on his shell. She looked into his eyes, "Thank you Bass, thank you for always being there for me."

Bass blinked in acknowledgement. Maura sat up and tilted her head, brows furrowed. Did Bass understand her? She knew tortoises were smart, but this? She tried again: "Are you worried about Jane too?" Another blink. "Do you miss Jane?" More blinks and a head bob from Bass.

Maura chuckled - wait until Jane heard about this. Jane always teased her about having a tortoise for a pet. Wouldn't she be surprised to find out that Bass was her new biggest fan.

XXXXX

Jane felt like she was floating...warm, and drifting on a cloud. OK, she knew she couldn't fly so what...what was going on and why did everything hurt?

She remembered a lot of yelling - her yelling at Frankie, at Maura...for what? "Think Jane..."

Frankie was lying on a table in the morgue with a syringe sticking out of his chest, Maura was running toward her outside, she was lying on the front steps of the precinct, her side felt like it was on fire...and it all came back.

Frankie was shot, Maura was panicking trying to help him breathe, Bobby had turned on them in the morgue, then pulled her outside.

All she could think to do to save Frankie and Maura was to get the gun away from Bobby but he was too strong. It took all of her strength to turn the gun back toward him, but also toward her stomach as she pulled the trigger.

Holy crap did that hurt, but she was still here...how long was she out anyway? She struggled to open her eyes and all she could see was...stuff.

The room looked like one of those shows on Discovery where someone has been in a coma for 20 years. There were balloons, flowers, stuffed animals everywhere, and a bunch of pictures on the dresser next to her: her parents, her and Frankie in their softball gear, Jo Friday, Frost and Korsak half in the bag and best of friends at the last Christmas party, her smiling with Maura in their team P.U.K.E running outfits, and...Bass. Jane laughed to herself - leave it to Maura to include Bass. She felt a little guilty for teasing Maura about her choice of pets. Bass wasn't all that bad, just a little...non-traditional.

Jane's eyes settled back to the picture of her and Frankie. Ohmygod. Frankie! Is he OK?

Jane started to panic, but she could hardly move because of the drugs, and she couldn't speak because of that damn tube in her throat. She felt someone holding her hand and strained to see who it was...a dark head resting on the edge of the bed...Frankie! He was alive! Jane squeezed his hand with as much strength as she could muster.

It was enough to jolt him out of his sleep, his face breaking out into the biggest smile Jane had ever seen as his wide eyes met hers. "Janie! Janie you're awake!" Frankie bent down to press a kiss to her forehead then ran out of the room calling for his parents and the doctors.

"Maura...please be safe too..." was Jane's last thought before she sank back into an exhausted sleep.

XXXXX

"Bass! Bass - she's awake! Jane's awake and she's going to be OK!" Maura called out as she hung up the phone. Bass was so excited, he grinned from ear to ear and shuffled happily as Maura bent down to pat his back. "I have to get to the hospital."

By the time Maura got to the hospital, Frost and Korsak were already there. Korsak had his phone out, disabling the camera sounds because he had just found the mother lode of blackmail material and didn't want to ruin it.

Jane was sound asleep with her arm wrapped around a giant stuffed turtle. Or was it a tortoise? Korsak didn't care; he just had to snap a couple of pictures before Jane woke up.

"Man, Jane is going to wring your neck when she finds out you took those pictures," Frost warned him.

"You let me worry about that," said Korsak. "Besides, you're just jealous because you didn't think of it first." Frost smirked as he imagined the look on Jane's face if she saw her picture with the turtle as Korsak's ringtone ID for her, or on her computer wallpaper when she got back to work.

Maura shooed them out of Jane's room but couldn't help but smile as she saw Jane hugging the stuffed turtle. She had picked it up the other day at the toy store and couldn't resist leaving it in the bed with Jane.

She pulled up a chair and took Jane's free hand in her own, then she leaned forward to run her other hand through Jane's thick hair. "Jane? Jane, it's me. Wake up, honey, for me? Please?" she whispered into Jane's ear.

Jane felt a warm hand in her own and heard someone calling her name. Maura? She slowly opened her eyes and saw a beady black eye staring back at her. What the hell?

"M-Maura? Is that you? What is this thing on me?"

"Jane! Welcome back - oh, it's so good to see you awake. I missed you so much, " Maura said, her eyes glistening with tears. She kissed Jane on the cheek then held the turtle out so Jane could see it. "This is from Bass - he was very worried about you."

"Wh-what?" Jane was still groggy from all of the medication and her voice was rough from having a tube in her throat for the last week. "Come on Maura, he's a tortoise!"

But Maura was insistent. "Jane, I'm convinced that Bass was really concerned for you."

Jane looked at her skeptically so Maura continued. "Every day I'd come home and tell Bass about my day...like I always do. It's been scientifically proven that people who talk to their pets or even their plants have much lower stress levels than people with no pets or..." She stopped when she saw Jane roll her eyes and weakly wave her hand in her usual "get to the point" motion.

Maura finished by saying, "every time I mentioned you, Bass would become more alert and would look up or nod or blink, so I had to test my theory."

"Annnd...?" Jane said expectantly. She was still a little out of it and needed the short version from Maura before she fell asleep again.

"Well...what I did was...oh Jane, I felt like I was teasing him, but I'd start talking about something else and randomly say 'Jane' and sure enough, he'd perk up and look at me, or bob his head, or shuffle his feet...he definitely knows you Jane, and honestly, I don't know what I would have done without him these last few days."

Janr had a smile on her face. "Really?" she asked. Now she felt bad again about her initial reaction to Bass. And you know, it was the same as her talking to Jo Friday and teaching her words and commands. Jo knew what Jane meant when she said "walk" or "go for a ride" or "Maura's coming over," so why should it be any different with Bass?

"Well, uh, tell him thanks for thinking about me and that I'm feeling much better," Jane said to Maura.

"You can tell him yourself when you get out of here," said Maura, "now get some rest. We'll talk more tomorrow."

"Maura, will you stay with me for a while?" asked Jane. "I...I was so scared about Frankie...and you...and I'm so glad you're both OK."

"Of course I will Jane, " said Maura, taking her hand again. She went back to stroking Jane's hair and gently massaging her scalp.

"Mmm...that's nice," said Jane. Her breathing deepened almost immediately as she fell back to sleep.

Maura pulled her chair closer and tightened her grip on Jane's hand as she rested her head next to Jane. They had a lot to talk about, but for now Maura was content to rest, with her best friend alive and safe by her side.

XXXXX

It was two more weeks before Jane was released from the hospital and another week before she was able to get out of her apartment. Right now she was on her way over to Maura's with a peace offering for Bass: the biggest, reddest strawberries she could find at the farmer's market. Jane had no idea what else Bass ate, but she did a little research online and learned that tortoises had a mostly greens and vegetable diet. She figured she had all her bases covered by also bringing spinach, kale, and "spring mix," which Jane thought looked like it was picked from the side of the road.

Maura let her in and they headed toward the kitchen. "Bass, someone's here to see you!" called Maura. Bass looked out and his eyes widened when he saw Jane - safe and sound.

"Uh...hi Bass," said Jain uncertainly. She didn't know what to expect. Jo Friday went crazy when Jane greeted her when she got home, but Bass...Jane wasn't sure what he would do.

Bass immediately broke into his open-mouthed grin and shuffled happily as Jane approached.

"Go ahead Jane, give him one of the berries," prompted Maura.

Jane squatted down and held out a strawberry. Bass eagerly took it from her hand, devouring every bit. Jane grinned - he loved treats as much as Jo Friday! Jane cleared her throat and wouldn't you know it, Bass looked up at her expectantly, blinking his bright eyes.

"Bass," Jane began, "I'm sorry I scared you the last time I was here. I've never seen a giant tortoise before except on TV, so I hope we can be friends."

Jane swore Bass nodded his head, so she went on, "I know how much Maura cares for you and I'm so glad she had you looking out for her when I was in the hospital. Thanks buddy." Then she reached out and tentatively stroked his shell. It was smooth, with ridges from the many growth layers accumulated over Bass' lifetime.

Bass was in heaven. Not only did he have delicious strawberries, but he had a warm and safe home with his beloved Maura, and now he and Jane had finally become friends. He grinned up at Jane again and she fed him another berry.

Jane straightened up and saw Maura smiling at her. "Now was that so hard?" she asked Jane.

"No," said Jane defensively, "it just took me a while to think of a tortoise as...you know...a pet."

"Well, at least you've finally come around," said Maura, handing her a beer. They went into the living room and sat on the couch. Bass eventually followed, settling down at the end of the couch so he could keep an eye on his girls.

Jane and Maura talked long into the night, about the shooting, saving Frankie, and Jane's long recovery. Finally Jane stretched and said, "I'm so tired but I don't want to move."

"Me either," said Maura, settling into the corner of the couch and stretching her legs along the back. She pulled Jane close to lie back against her. "Maura - I'll crush you!"

"Shh, Jane, you're fine. Just relax." Maura dropped her hand and found Bass right there, so she rested her hand on his shell.

Jane fell asleep in a matter of minutes, and eventually her hand fell from her side and toward the floor. She woke up for a moment when she felt Maura's soft hand under hers, along with something else...something hard and pointy. She smiled as she realized Bass was there with them.

She moved her hand so it was partially covering Maura's, but also remained in contact with Bass. She sighed and went back to sleep.

Bass was thrilled when he felt Jane leave her hand on his shell. After their rocky start he knew Jane accepted him and would always protect him, just like she did Maura and everyone else she loved.


End file.
